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Tribute to Classical.... Page 4 SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 2020 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/sunday-magazine Power of Prayer ......Page 3 Encroached OLD JAMMU City Rajan Gandhi each at front and back entry gate of Women College Parade, another one again adjacent to electricity office Parade and Municipalities in India were established in the early 19th another one at Kachi Chawni Parking, all within three hun- century during colonial rule itself. The role of Municipalities dred meters, each one less than hundred meters apart. Most in India has remained controversial frequently at the cost of astonishing part is both Women College toilet complexes are quality of life of the citizens. But with passage of time numer- locked, one on Dogra Hall side for years now and one at ous steps in post independence era have been initiated, signif- Parade side waiting for official inauguration much before icant towards official urban planning initiatives to undertake lockdown. Astonishingly Dogra Hall Toilet Complex is built on planned development of towns and cities in the shape of footpath itself on this VIP Road. There is no footpath contin- enactment of the Delhi Development Act 1957 leading to uation after this toilet complex till Secretariat thereby risking establishment of the Delhi Development Authority, followed the lives of pedestrians especially at night when motorists are by establishment of about 300 development authorities for as just blinded by lights of vehicles coming from opposite end many cities or launching of the national scheme such as and pedestrians have no choice except to walk on road. Since IDSMT in the Sixth FYP (1980-85), intended to address criti- this toilet is locked for years now it's better to dismantle it and cal development needs of small and medium towns or publi- clear path for pedestrian. There is a passenger shed at Kachi cation of India's first urbanisation policy in 1988 by the Chawni which has been turned into lime dumping site by JMC National Commission on Urbanisation(NCU) chaired by itself on same footpath. The second toilet complex outside Architect Charles Correa, first to point out the inevitable lead- main gate of Women College, waiting for inauguration, is right ing role of cities in driving forward India's economy and the on the road itself instead of utilising the space to widen the Bazaar to Gumat, even at highly protected Civil Secretariat sons. Another glaring example of misuse of authority is idea of necessity of integrating spatial and economic development of road to decongest this particular chowk. its urban centres or enactment of the 73rd and 74th road at Dogra Hall also depicting the same sad story. Situation construction of shops on cremation site facing city on main The busiest stretch of Jammu, Parade road is virtually at busiest Purani Mandi is more grim as a so called projected road with virtually no parking facility, a disaster for traffic and Constitutional Amendments in 1992 known as Panchayati Raj encroachers' paradise. With a Chanakaya statue and Muscat Act and Nagarpalika Act. These empowered elected represen- park has been turned into dumping site, with all sides people coming for cremation here. Defunct electric cremation light installed right in the centre of road without any planning, encroached by illegal vendors, tandoors, dye vendors, complex is another glaring example of how public money gets tatives of Districts or ULB to undertake economic and spatial virtually one stretch of road is just barred for public. With planned development of villages, towns and cities. But since juice/cigarette vendors, momos, kulchaas, jewellery, dumped into illogical planning. WHO, MHA, MoHFW guide- chains on iron pillars on both sides, this side of main road has footwear, practically what not choking the market with no lines clearly state that Electric Crematorium is the best way land is a state subject, only some states adopted the acts, been turned into private parking with reharis, tea stalls, resulting in slowdowns on the implementation side. The space even to walk. As shopkeepers have totally encroached for last rites of CORONA victims but no efforts have been put restaurant parking, open eating points and what not with drains, there is no visible drain on entire Link Road .Why to explore the possibility of reviving this scientifically 2005-JNNURM launched by the Government of India was the encroachment of main road up to 20 meters. A sign board of first initiative of its kind in terms of the scale of investment of respective departments have repeatedly failed to fix the approved crematorium when administration is running from JMC for no rehari zone and no parking just mocks at citizens. responsibility, take action on one and all will fall in line. pillar to post to perform last rites of COVID victims, eventual- USD 20 billion over a period of seven years. 65 cities were There are two Paan shops right on road, one in between two selected under this initiative and finally in June 2015, the Dangling hundreds of fibre optic cables from Electricity ly on Tawi river bank in open risking everyone's lives. main transformers waiting for a major tragedy and other on and Telephone Department poles is the latest addition to the Not long ago Commissioner of JMC had sacked Government of India initiated the 'Smart City Mission', to footpath. Another sore in the eye and matter of grave concern improve the conditions of 100 cities within five years with an mess created in the Old City as if illegal electric connections Enforcement Inspector for non-reporting and conniving with is leftover building material by JMC contractors on main are not enough. With the weight of these wires poles have violators in carrying out many illegal commercial construc- approved investment of USD 15 billion. The Smart City roads, which ultimately goes into city drains resulting over- Mission idea appears to be the most comprehensive in nature started leaning and if not removed immediately some major tions in the area with plethora of complaints. But why no such flowing drains and floods in low lying areas of Jewel and tragedy in the shape of short circuit/fire is very much in the action on Jammu Old City enforcement officer despite repeat- and serious in terms of intention. College road. Electric poles are lying on roads at Parade for pipeline in coming time. This often damages the poles, ed orders from even Jammu and Kashmir High Court to clear But as they say every act for betterment of public usually years together with no effort to utilise them at some other obstructs Electricity Department service personnel in attend- footpaths, encroachments and on road parking. Who are these fails in Jammu as encroachments, no planning, no vision, no place. The scene at Rani Park is no different as entire stretch accountability are the hallmark of JMC as every nook and cor- ing the complaints or regular maintenance works or obstructs persons who are planning disaster for old city, if the protec- is occupied by street vendors and reharis. Who has allowed all traffic. Who gave permission to these vendors at first place as ner of Old City just speaks about the official apathy. With these encroachments, where are the civic authorities and tors of law themselves become violators to whom public will absolutely no augmentation in city parking, Old City is a clas- these private telephone cables are wired on electricity/tele- look for justice? Model cities are built with well planned, per- police despite DPL a few meters away. All this cannot happen phone poles without proper authorization as it's a punishable sic case of virtually no facility though false declarations and sistent efforts and not by knee jerk reactions for photo ops. without active collision of politicians, JMC and police. For offence to illegally use these poles? In some cities PDD and tall promises. Despite Master Plan and Smart City Mission what Enforcement officials are employed, where is traffic This is the responsibility of administration and corporators to clearly depicting detailed plans for decongesting Old City BSNL is charging monthly rent of fifty rupees/per pole from police? If authorities can demolish a shop at din of night why these cable/fibre broadband companies. Are there any such work in tandem to create greener pastures, parks, utilities, which includes shifting of Sabzi Mandi at Parade, proposed they are turning blind eye to all these things is beyond one's parking, all basic necessities for a normal healthy life of its cit- parking and shopping mall at this place, multilevel parking charges been levied in Jammu, if not why as BSNL, PDD and imagination. JMC all are cash starved departments? izens but nothing seems to work in Old Jammu City. After near Atal Bihari Vajpayee Chowk or shifting of many govern- Same is the story at City Chowk, Hospital Road and sur- being declared UT, with stricter laws, no political interference ment departments like District Police Lines, Director Health Miseries of Jammu Old City public don't end up here only prisingly main footpath opposite bus stand, just below JMC as one moves down to only available cremation ground at Jogi and least rush due to pandemic situation and lockdown, it's Services and many others for much needed space for parking, office, has been turned into old cloth market. If it is acceptable best time for JMC to act and remove all illegal encroachments toilets, parks and other utilities but nothing has been done Gate where old pyre platforms were demolished for renova- to JMC then days are not far away when whole footpaths of tion but after years together the work is still at standstill, vir- from Old City to justify it being UT, a fragrance of change, a practically on ground.